Microsoft: Removal of Group Policy Tool from Vista 'Not Significant'

As part of a request to help modify its apparent stance on the upcoming removal of Group Policy Management Console from Microsoft's Windows Vista Service Pack 1, a company spokesperson told BetaNews, "The removal of the GPMC tool with Service Pack 1 is not significant to the majority of Windows Vista users."

This despite the continued presence of remnants of the GPMC campaign, which touted its inclusion in Vista as a boon. "The Group Policy Management Console, or GPMC, was available as a download for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003," reads one TechNet page.

"A scriptable Microsoft Management Console, GPMC offered a single administrative tool for managing Group Policy. GPMC is now built right into Windows Vista. This means that whenever you're ready to create or edit [group policy objects], you'll have easy access to the best tool for the job."

Of course, as the spokesperson would point out, administrators are not either typical Windows users nor the majority of users. But more end-user-like features, such as Windows Advanced Firewall, had been (and will presumably continue to) leverage group policy as a system for maintaining privileges and restrictions for users' accounts.

"Only administrators would use the GP management tools - not end users," the spokesperson wrote.

The spokesperson went on to say that the company's forthcoming inclusion of Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM, the former GPOVault Enterprise) in Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) was an indication that Microsoft remains committed to expanding what she called "the reach of group policy," including its invocation in Vista.